Fans of the New York Yankees might bristle when they hear their team referred to as the "Evil Empire." But the team itself doesn't seem to mind, at least judging from a recent legal dust-up over the phrase.

A panel of trademark judges in Washington, D.C., earlier this month denied a request from a private entrepreneur, known as Evil Enterprises, Inc., to register the trademark for the phrase "Baseballs Evil Empire."

Evil Enterprises wanted the exclusive right to market merchandise using that phrase, which was coined in regard to the Yankees by Larry Lucchino, the president and chief executive of the Boston Red Sox, back in 2002. Upon learning that the Yankees had signed sought-after Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras, Lucchino was widely reported as saying: "The evil empire extends its tentacles even into Latin America."

Evil Enterprises initially applied for a trademark back in July of 2008.

But the Yankees objected, arguing that they had the rights to the phrase—at least when used in connection with baseball.

Part of the Yankees' argument: a concession that in the baseball world, they are, in fact, the "Evil Empire." In its legal papers, the team referenced a number of articles from the past decade using the term in connection with the Yankees, and conceded that the team has "implicitly embraced" the "Evil Empire" theme by playing music from Star Wars during their home games.

The panel of judges sided with the Yankees, ruling that the Yankees are strongly associated with the phrase. Allowing anyone else to use the phrase exclusively would likely cause confusion, ruled the judges.

"In short, the record shows that there is only one Evil Empire in baseball and it is the New York Yankees," wrote the judges. "Accordingly, we find that [the Yankees] have a protectable trademark right in the term . . . as used in connection with baseball."

Gerard Dunne, a lawyer for Evil Enterprises, said he and his client had yet to figure out whether to appeal. "But we disagree with the opinion, because we don't think "Evil Empire" exclusively refers to the Yankees anymore," he said. "You've seen it used with the Phillies, the Rangers, and other teams."

Representatives for the Yankees didn't respond to request seeking comment.

When reached Friday, Lucchino said, "I give them credit. Their embracing it is clever indeed."

Fans of the New York Yankees might bristle when they hear their team referred to as the "Evil Empire." But the team itself doesn't seem to mind, at least judging from a recent legal dust-up over the phrase.

A panel of trademark judges in Washington, D.C., earlier this month denied a request from a private entrepreneur, known as Evil Enterprises, Inc., to register the trademark for the phrase "Baseballs Evil Empire."

Evil Enterprises wanted the exclusive right to market merchandise using that phrase, which was coined in regard to the Yankees by Larry Lucchino, the president and chief executive of the Boston Red Sox, back in 2002. Upon learning that the Yankees had signed sought-after Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras, Lucchino was widely reported as saying: "The evil empire extends its tentacles even into Latin America."

Evil Enterprises initially applied for a trademark back in July of 2008.

But the Yankees objected, arguing that they had the rights to the phrase—at least when used in connection with baseball.

Part of the Yankees' argument: a concession that in the baseball world, they are, in fact, the "Evil Empire." In its legal papers, the team referenced a number of articles from the past decade using the term in connection with the Yankees, and conceded that the team has "implicitly embraced" the "Evil Empire" theme by playing music from Star Wars during their home games.

The panel of judges sided with the Yankees, ruling that the Yankees are strongly associated with the phrase. Allowing anyone else to use the phrase exclusively would likely cause confusion, ruled the judges.

"In short, the record shows that there is only one Evil Empire in baseball and it is the New York Yankees," wrote the judges. "Accordingly, we find that [the Yankees] have a protectable trademark right in the term . . . as used in connection with baseball."

Gerard Dunne, a lawyer for Evil Enterprises, said he and his client had yet to figure out whether to appeal. "But we disagree with the opinion, because we don't think "Evil Empire" exclusively refers to the Yankees anymore," he said. "You've seen it used with the Phillies, the Rangers, and other teams."

Representatives for the Yankees didn't respond to request seeking comment.

When reached Friday, Lucchino said, "I give them credit. Their embracing it is clever indeed."

The fans and Media are just plain stupid... The Yankees are evil... grow up !!... Stupid name calling.......Take your thumb out of your mouth......

The fans and Media are just plain stupid... The Yankees are evil... grow up !!... Stupid name calling.......Take your thumb out of your mouth......

Now there's a mature response.You seem pretty thin skinned for a Yankee fan on a Red Sox board.

Why don't you let me know what your email address is and I'll Paypal you a dollar so you can buy a sense of humor.

Now your pretty stupid thinking i'm a Yankee fan.... Just think that stupid name calling is childs play.. are you the evil guy at work or do your fellow workers hold up signs that say.. YOU SUCK ? Now that would be funny......

The fans and Media are just plain stupid... The Yankees are evil... grow up !!... Stupid name calling.......Take your thumb out of your mouth......

Now your pretty stupid thinking i'm a Yankee fan.... Just think that stupid name calling is childs play.. are you the evil guy at work or do your fellow workers hold up signs that say.. YOU SUCK ? Now that would be funny......

The fans and Media are just plain stupid... The Yankees are evil... grow up !!... Stupid name calling.......Take your thumb out of your mouth......

Now your pretty stupid thinking i'm a Yankee fan.... Just think that stupid name calling is childs play.. are you the evil guy at work or do your fellow workers hold up signs that say.. YOU SUCK ? Now that would be funny......

The fans and Media are just plain stupid... The Yankees are evil... grow up !!... Stupid name calling.......Take your thumb out of your mouth......

Now your pretty stupid thinking i'm a Yankee fan.... Just think that stupid name calling is childs play.. are you the evil guy at work or do your fellow workers hold up signs that say.. YOU SUCK ? Now that would be funny......

The fans and Media are just plain stupid... The Yankees are evil... grow up !!... Stupid name calling.......Take your thumb out of your mouth......

Now your pretty stupid thinking i'm a Yankee fan.... Just think that stupid name calling is childs play.. are you the evil guy at work or do your fellow workers hold up signs that say.. YOU SUCK ? Now that would be funny......

Nothing like the $ to make you claim the rights to anything; from what I understand, when Fenway played the EE Star Wars music back in the 90s, they didn't like it. Now they want (Admittedly, I didn't read the article, so I'll assume that's the case, at the very least through a subsidiary) to claim the rights to it. Pathetic.

The typical Red Sox fan would come here for entirely different reasons than you or Burrito do. After all it is a Red Sox forum out of Boston. It is not the Jerry Springer show. You just admitted why you come here and the BDC mods should do something about that but they won't. The almighty $$ says that. BDC wants revenue and cares not about who corrupts their forum. Such is the Internet and corporate greed. That is why the Forum is doomed.

Damn mods. They really need to purge the board of people who come here for entertainment and uphold those like yourself who come here for much nobler reasons.